Lost Muse

by David Silver

29 - Falling From the Tree

Color looked over the massive gates in front of him. It wasn't even as large as the 'proper' family manor. He'd seen those, back in his hometown. This was their Canterlot holding, and... it put Libel's little house to shame.

"Can I help you?"

Color lifted an ear towards the sharply-dressed gate-guard. "Ah, yes." He approached with a little smile. "I have an appointment."

"Do you?" He looked over Color's expensive suit before nodding softly. "Let me get that open." He opened the gate with his magic and gestured past it. "The mistress is in the reading room, second floor, Sir."

"Ah, thank you." He dipped his head and trotted past quickly. The guard was below him, he couldn't grovel too much. He smiled a little, remembering Libelous' advice as it was spoken. The idea of maybe not always telling the complete truth was also there.

He had no appointment... He had banked on showing up wearing good clothing and being well-groomed would get him that far. So far, it was working.

---

"Allow me to rephrase the incident." Bottom inclined her head, her floating bagel drifting in just close enough to get a chunk bitten out of it. "You were elevating Color's socioeconomic level closer to your own, educating him along the way with how to behave properly in his new social strata."

Libel's ear sagged a little. "That sounds so much worse when you put it like that..."

"You encouraged him to live up to your high expectations, which he is doing." She inclined her head. "Doing well, I am told?"

"He's fine," muttered Libel with a little grunt, plopping a spoonful of ice cream into her snout. "He's fine!"

"But he was not." She nodded slowly. "Or you wouldn't be--"

"Stop." She took a slow breath. "Please. I got enough of this from him. Look, what are you suggesting? Should I... just walk away from this?"

"If you like giving up." She raised an ear at Libel. "You never struck me as the kind of pony, Libelous."

"Alright, so...?" She sank her spoon into the cool treat, the spoon attached to a hoof. "Get to the part where we make this better."

Bottom swallowed the bagel bit in her mouth. "Well, there are a number of paths forward from here, but they all rely on knowing clearly where you wish to be."

"I want him to actually be happy with what he got?" She tilted her head. "I'd... like the painful questions to stop?"

"Those are two different things that don't exactly match up. At least, the actions you have to perform don't." She rolled a hoof lightly. "Miss Word."

"Don't call me that."

Bottom smiled a little. "Why should I not? It is your name. I do not fret when you call me Miss Line."

"There's more to it! You're... not part of a family. Not like that, anyway."

Bottom leaned in a little. "What does it mean to be a Word, precisely?"

Libel arched a brow at her friend, lifting her spoon up to be cleaned with her tongue. "That's a big story."

"And if he becomes involved with you, seriously, then he is becoming one."

"Well, yes?"

"And you are concerned."

"Why wouldn't I be?!" She slapped her hoof down on the tabletop, the spoon ringing as it hit the table. "Wouldn't you be?"

"Have you asked him what he thought of that?"

She raised a hoof, only for it to fall a few inches. "Well, no? I mean... I thought it was obvious?"

Bottom smiled a little. "It was, to you."

"And he's not me."

"You would like that." Bottom arched a brow. "Would you date yourself?"

Libel snorted loudly at that, breaking in an uneven laugh. "You're joking." Bottom's expression did not break. "You're not joking..."

"Assume it was another pony with another important name." She wobbled a hoof. "Successful in her field, whatever that was. Belonged to an important family, of course. Athletic, has a medical issue she's sensitive about."

"Your description is grammatically terrible." Libel's brows fell softly. "But, alright. Here's this rich mare. Is she a pegasus too?"

"Mmm, sure, why not?" Bottom shrugged softly. "Would you make a pass?"

"Well..." Libelous licked over her lips softly. "Assuming we got along... sure?"

"Are you sure?"

Libel perked up. "Why wouldn't I?"

"She knows you. She knows the Words. She has her own baggage. She walks up to you and..."

"I'd probably just keep it polite," admitted Libel, shrinking. "I'd never so much as compliment her dress."

Bottom smiled gently. "Now you're being honest." She reached across and gently pat Libel on the shoulder. "You like mares that are below you."

Libel jerked back at that, ears going erect. "What?!"

"You enjoy the idea of being over another mare. You want to be in charge... It's charmingly masculine, but also not very healthy." She put a hoof on her chest. "If I were less well-balanced and confessed my undying love for you, you would..."

Libel sputtered softly. "I would be horrified! I mean, you're my secretary! I--"

"--would be quietly delighted." She took a fresh bite of her floating bagel.

"No! ..." Libel sank in her chair, letting the air escape her. Thoughts of the last few mares she had approached came to her mind. A low-ranking mare in public relations. That mare she was tutoring... "Oh... I am... the hugest creep in the world..." She fell forward onto her hooves, burying her face in them. "Why are you even still here? You should leave before I lech all over you or something."

"And we proceed." She softly patted Libel's shoulder. "Now tell me what you think of stallions."

"Or I could let you tell me?"

"And I will," agreed Bottom. "But, I want you to agree with it, deep inside. I don't want to be another droning pony telling you what you think or what you should think."

---

Color found the front door was unlocked, opening easily to his magic.

"Good day, Sir," greeted a unicorn in a tuxedo. "May I assist?"

A butler? "Ah, nice to meet you. Looking for the reading room? I was told it's upstairs?"

"Just that way." He pointed towards some stairs. "May I escort you, Sir?"

"That won't be required." He strode like he had somewhere to be. He did. Permission or not, he had a specific place to go to and somepony to speak with. He strode up the winding stairs and arrived on the second floor. There were plaques just to the right of each door, revealing their purpose.

Thank goodness for that. He approached the reading room with a little smile, magic taking hold of the knob. He thought better of it just a moment before he would have opened it. Knocking? It was only polite. He raised a hoof and gently tapped it on the door in two strikes.

"Who's there?" came a mature mare voice, easily in her middle ages if not a little further. "It's not time for dinner."

"No, it isn't," agreed Color, his ears pinning back. He forced them back up with a soft grunt. "I've come to speak to you. May I come in?"

"Come to speak to me?" The door opened an instant later, revealing the matron's face, glaring at him. The expression turned from annoyed confusion to outright fury. "Who are you?!"

Color dipped his head low. "Please forgive me, Ma'am. We met many years ago, when I was this high." He lifted a hoof to approximate it. "I was a friend of your daughter, Libelous Word."

She peered at him quietly a moment before it seemed to click. "Little Splash?" She snorted softly. "You're in the wrong city, little colt. What are you doing here of all places?"

Little Splash was not a name he was called very often anymore. "I'm here to talk to you. It's about Libelous."

"Oh?" She looked past him into the hallway, peeking left and right before she gestured inside. "Come in."

He followed her into the large room. It was full of books, tables, and soft places to sit. She went for one of the latter, settling into a cozy chair in front of a set cup of tea. She gestured across from herself. "Would you like one?"

Color perked an ear. Things were going better than he had dared to hope. "Oh, yes, please." Don't refuse kind offers from your host, never. That was a thing Libel had taught him. "I--"

"--have been around around Libel." She smiled a little. "It's nice to see her cultivating some social life, even if it isn't with the ponies I would recommend."

He blinked softly. "Did she tell you?"

"I make it a point to know." She reached a hoof and poured out a second cup with some effort. "Sit. Tell me what drove you to break into my home."

He quickly set himself across from her, his magic pulling the cup and its saucer closer. "It's about Libel, like I said. We... are considering a relationship."

Her benign expression darkened. "That won't do. You're not... Little Splash, I don't mean to dash your feelings, little colt, but she is far above you." She sipped from her own cup. "As a friend, this is harmless, charming perhaps. But no more than that."

Color felt the urge to defend himself, but gently squashed it. "Isn't that her choice?"

A frown began to develop. "That mare... She doesn't listen to me when it comes to matters of building a proper house." She sighed into a hoof. "I'm trying to protect her. This is all above you, Little Splash. Our world is terribly burdensome. You don't want to be a part of it."

Color dared a little smile. "Isn't that my choice?"

She hiked a brow softly. "I am not your mother, Little Splash. I have given my warning. More would be improper... Are you here to simply announce that you will do as I suggest against?"

He leaned forward, bringing his hooves onto the table. "No. I want something else. Miss Word, will you... Will you be happy for Libel?"

She blinked softly at that. "That's a curious request. I am quite happy for her. Her accomplishments in the field of editing does our name proud... She handles her finances in a respectable fashion... I am told she's even taking steps to managing... her little problem. I'm very happy for her. Why would you think I'm not, Little Splash?"

He brought his hooves together. "I want to get involved with your daughter, Miss Word, which... could maybe lead to you becoming my mother. I don't... want you to be one of those 'bad mother-in-laws' ponies talk about." He rolled a hoof softly. "What would I have to do to be a son you'd be happy to have."

She stared at him, quiet except for the soft sip of tea she had. "Hm."

The silence dragged on uncomfortably, but he waited patiently, watching her in kind.

"Hm." She reached across, but the motion stopped and reversed. "Hm... Curious colt... You know a scrap of etiquette... Seeking her parent's approval before you even begin dating? I approve of this... Still, there is a matter of your station. What will others say?"

He sat up tall, dusting off his suit. "That she has excellent taste in stallions."

She snorted softly at that. "Is that the case? Tell me then, what traits do you bring? What honors would I tell them to make them blush bright with envy, knowing their daughters can never have you?"

"Well, I'm an artist."

She rolled a hoof. "There are countless ponies that fancy themselves as an ar--"

Her words stopped. Emerging from his pocket came a painting that he gently set on the table. With a pull, he unwrapped it. There was Libelous Word, her daughter. She was a princess, bedecked with jewelry with a look of calm leadership. She looked ready to compete with Celestia for a royal mien.

Author's Note:

Libel is being broken down by Bottom Line. Color, on the other hand, goes for the source.

Is this going in a good direction, or tragedy? Have the typos already won?!

Comments

[Midknight Defender]

You know, cutting it off there makes me glad to know there's another update coming tomorrow.